When a Host (or a Peer) may be a harm to themselves or others, you might not know what to do. It's important to understand that Therapeer is not a substitute for professional healthcare, and our moderators, compassionate and supportive as they are, are not equipped to support crisis situations.
Any talk of suicide, suicidal thoughts or crisis should be treated by local crisis organizations, who can provide appropriate support.
You may not be sure what to do to help, whether you should take talk of suicide seriously, or if your intervention might make the situation worse. Taking action is always the best choice.
Here's what to do:
First thing first, refer the person in need to their local crisis line for appropriate support. Here are some community sourced crisis lines you should use:
List of suicide crisis lines per country:
After you give the referral information, encourage the person to seek treatment.
You can try saying something like this:
"I can tell you are going through a very hard time right now. I encourage you to reach out to the resources I have provided for professional support. Therapeer is not equipped to support crisis situations. I am not trained to help you through this difficult situation."
Remember, a suicidal or severely depressed person may not have the energy or motivation to find help. Discuss it with the person and tell them why they should seek treatment without offering any analysis or diagnosing. Listen to their feelings and try to offer empathy and validation. Remember, you can offer support and advice - but it's not your job to substitute for a mental health provider.